By Zachery Schmidt | The Center Square contributor
The Central Nevada Health District on Monday confirmed the state’s first human case of bird flu.CNDH said the adult was exposed to the virus while working on a dairy farm in Churchill County. The person had pink eye and is recovering.Last month, the Nevada Department of Agriculture detected bird flu in dairy cattle in Churchill County. No evidence currently exists about the person-to-person spread of the virus, according to the health district.Close contacts and people who work at the facility where the human bird flu case occurred are being monitored for symptoms.CDNH said that the public health risk for the general public remains low. However, for people working with birds, poultry or cows, the risk is high.NDA reported that the state received its first bird flu case in December 2024 in Nye County. In January, the NDA said dairy cattle infected with bird flu had the genotype D1.1.The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says this bird flu genotype has been found in wild birds and poultry. CNDH did not announce this individual’s genotype, but the Department of Agriculture found the D 1.1 genotype in dairy cattle in Nevada.The D 1.1 genotype was the strain of bird flu found in the Louisiana resident who died. The person who died was over 65 years old and had underlying health conditions.America currently has 68 cases of bird flu, CDC records show. California has 38 of these cases.To protect people, CNDH recommends not touching dead or sick animals. Furthermore, it suggests not eating undercooked food and avoiding raw dairy.
